In 1991, in Iraq, the military Jack Starks is shot in the head and presumed dead. When he blinks his eyes in the morgue, the doctor is called. One year later, after being discharged from the army, while hitchhiking in a road in Vermont having amnesia problem, he helps a drunken woman, Jean Price, and her daughter, Jackie Price, fixing their car. Later, he gets a lift, but the driver is stopped by the police and kills the policeman with three shots. Jack is also shot in the head and incriminated by the real killer, who leaves his gun close to the fainted Jack. He goes to court and is sentenced to the mental institution Alpine Grove for insane criminals. Jack becomes the experiment of Dr. Thomas Becker, who drugs and dresses him with a jacket and lock him in a drawer for corpses in the morgue. While locked, Jack travels to 2007, where he meets a grown-up Jackie Price and they fall in love for each other. Jack envisions that the only exit from the institution is though the jacket.

Jack Starks: When you're dead, the one thing you want is to come back.

[letter Jack writes to Jean] Jack Starks: Sometimes I think we live through things only to be able to say that it happened. That it wasn't to someone else, it was to me. Sometimes we live to beat the odds. I'm not crazy even though they thought I was. I live in the same world as everyone else. I just saw more of it, as I'm sure you have. They'll find my body tomorrow. You can check it out if you don't believe me. I've seen life after my death, and I'm telling you this because it's the only way to help you and your daughter have a better life of your own. Jean, you're gonna pass out one day smoking a cigarette and burn to death. Your daughter grows up living the same life you're living right now. And she misses you so much. Sometimes life can only really begin with the knowledge of death. That it can all end, even when you least want it to. The important thing in life is to believe that while you're alive, it's never too late. I promise you, Jean, no matter how bad things look, they look better awake than they do asleep. When you die, there's only one thing you want to happen. You wanna come back.

Jackie Price: Do you want this? [offers a cup of coffee] Jack Starks: I want this. [reaches out and kisses her]

Jackie Price: How much time do we have?

Jack Starks: I'm running out of time. Jackie Price: I don't care. You have to come back. I didn't ask for you, but now... you just have to come back. Jack Starks: It's not like that. I don't have control over it. Jackie Price: Well, get control. [Jack goes back to 1992 and Jackie is alone in the bed in 2007] Jackie Price: Come back to me, Jack.

Movie Trivia:

Mark Wahlberg and Colin Farrell were both considered for the role of Jack Starks before Adrien Brody landed the role.

At one point, Training Day (2001) director Antoine Fuqua was attached to direct.

Lady Anne Lambton was originally cast as Nurse Harding. During principal photography, she fell ill with pancreatitis and was unable to continue filming.

Keira Knightley credits the food poisoning she had during her audition for landing her the part of a sickly alcoholic.

Keira Knightley flew in from the set of King Arthur (2004) to audition for her part.